How can she smile? She's bedridden!

I paid a nursing visit to a young woman who cried when she told me her story -- How frustrating and lonely it is to be stuck at home; How her whole life was changed by an illness she never could've imagined would strike her, never had even heard of before. She has hope that one day she'll get better. She talked about being let go from work and needing a career she can do from home. She talked about the Lord Jesus; and how church people criticize her for not obeying the rules they think are important in life; how church people withdrew from her and don't talk to her. She says it's partly her fault because she gets angry when people call her to ask what she's doing, when they should know that the only thing she can do - the only thing she physically is capable of - is sitting in her bed. Tears.

She talked about how people think if you have enough faith, God will make you well. Or that you're suffering because you did something bad, or you're doing something bad, or you deserve it. But it's not true. Good things happen to bad people, and bad things happen to good people.

So why should we bother with God at all? She said that it's not about anything other than knowing Him more. She asked God to let her know Him more. This is what she got. And she broke out in a joyful beautiful smile, and talked about how much she loves God. When I left, I felt sad because I couldn't help her. Nothing I can do will make her situation better. I am just thankful she knows our compassionate and kind Savior, Jesus.